Birds, wasps, stunt kites, and planes are rigid. ALL high performance aircraft (eg hang-gliders vs paragliders) have rigid structures. Rigid hang gliders out-perform soft paragliders on all measures. Interestingly, the trend in paragliders is towards increased rigidity, e.g. stiff mylar reinforcements, plastic stiffeners in the leading edges and carbon fibre rods sewn into the ribs. These stiffening innovations have resulted in paragliders that are so successful in competition that old-style soft gliders are no longer competitive. Similarly, kite manufacturers are always looking for ways to make kites more internally rigid, eg by joining the struts firmly to the leading edge, adding fifth lines, and mini-bridles.

Cheers to Pumpy and to the Veterans also

But I think Pumpy needs to update his concept about the need of rigidity and struts, since the recent successful strutless one just proves everything the opposite of the above

pump me up,you have become more than a man. you are like an unseen mythical computer creature with cut and paste skills like no other this world or any other has ever seen. you have truly transcended into legendary status where no one need know your name. you are an idea, and an idea can never be killed.

Who is online

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum